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SELECTION CRITERIA: Form,
Weight, Size, Battery, Screen, Input, Storage, Connectivity,
Performance, Compatibility
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First Published: March 15, 2012
Addenda: NOV 2012 APR 2013, APR 2014
Last Revised: August 1, 2014
Last Reviewed: July 5, 2019
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| Category |
Characteristics/Example |
Form |
Weight |
Battery |
Screen |
Storage |
| Desktop PC 1981 |
Bravo Sonata series |
D/T |
20~35 lbs |
None |
None |
normal |
| "Luggable"
1982 |
Compaq Portable |
L |
22~30 lbs |
None |
5~9" |
normal |
| Dedicated Server 1983 |
noisy, serviceable, powerful |
T |
20~40 lbs |
None |
None |
normal |
| Mini Desktop PC 2000 |
mini-ITX, HTPC, cube, SBC |
M |
5~8 lbs |
None |
HDTV |
normal |
| All-In-One
2011 |
Acer, HP, Lenovo large
touch screen |
I |
18~30 lbs |
None |
20~23" |
normal |
|
| Mobile
Workstation 2006 |
Aspire 9805 AKA
"desktop replacement" |
C |
16~22 lbs |
0~2 hr |
20~23" |
normal |
| Laptop
1982 |
GRiD, IBM PC Convertible |
C |
8~15 lbs |
0~2 hr |
12~15" |
HDD, CD |
| Notebook 1990 |
Travelmate, Satellite, ThinkPad |
C |
5.5~9 lbs |
2~3 hr |
14~17" |
HDD/SSD |
| Ultrabook 2012 |
thin hi-performance notebook |
C |
4~5.5 lbs |
3~8 hr |
9~14" |
SSD |
| Subnotebook 1995 |
compact light-weight notebook |
C |
4~5.5 lbs |
3~5 hr |
9~12" |
HD, CD? |
| Netbook 2007 |
Asus Eee: slow CPU, limited storage |
C |
2.5~4 lbs |
4~8 hr |
7~9" |
flash/HD |
| Chromebook
2011 |
Google Web-App-only terminal |
C |
2.8~4 lbs |
4~9 hr |
11~14" |
none |
| Touch Notebook 2012 |
Asus Vivobook, Lenovo Thinkpad |
C |
4~7 lbs |
2~6 hr |
10~15" |
HDD/SDD |
|
| Convertible Tablet |
twist/flip/snap
transformer PC |
S/C |
3~6 lbs |
3~8 hr |
10~14" |
flash/HD |
| Tablet PC
2001 |
Surface Pro, stylus, desktop apps |
S/C |
4~7 lbs |
3~8 hr |
10~12" |
flash |
| Tablet, large 2010 |
iPad, Galaxy, Surface RT, Lumia |
S |
1.5~3 lbs |
3~11 hr |
7~10" |
flash |
| Tablet, mini 2010 |
pocket/purse size, narrow, 1-hand |
S |
8~12 oz |
2~8 hr |
5~7" |
flash |
| Smartphone 2007 |
use phone as tiny computer |
S |
3.5~6 oz |
4~12 hr |
4~6" |
flash |
|
| Palmtop/Pocket
PC 2000 |
traditional PDA/HPC, Psion, Palm |
vary |
7~14 oz |
2~8 hr |
3~5" |
flash |
| Smartbook (misnomer) |
Smartphone + notebook
2009-2010 |
C |
12~20 oz |
2~8 hr |
4~5" |
flash |
|
Bravo
Definitions &
Official Designations of
Computer Forms
Grey categories are now
obsolete & defunct.
Listed for historical reference
& perspective purposes.
The original laptop class has vanished in late 90s.
That term can now be used to mean notebook PC.
|
- Desktop
case (horizontal chassis)
- Tower
case (vertical chassis)
- Rack-mount
stack (standard 19" wide cage)
- Mini case
(HTPC brick/cube style) aka
embedded/SFF
- Luggable
(sewing machine size)
- Integrated
(into display unit, typically touchscreen, attached/wireless
keyboard/mouse)
- Clamshell
(screen + keyboard & touchpad)
- Slate
(primarily touch keyboard, stylus?)
- Wearable
(primarily voice input + trackball)
| Example Scenario |
Optimal Configuration |
| 1 |
Office-only / Home-only |
Desktop |
| 2 |
Traveling Rep/Tech |
Notebook (Ultrabook, if
justifiable) |
| 3 |
Office + Home/satellite office |
2x Desktop +
remote control,
or remote node
via VPN + USB transport + sync |
| 4 |
Office +
travel productivity work |
Desktop +
Notebook |
| 5 |
Office +
email + occasional typing |
Desktop +
Netbook |
| 6 |
Office + content
consumption |
Desktop +
Tablet |
| 7 |
Office +
simple web search |
Desktop +
Smartphone |
| 8 |
Traveling Rep + reading, etc. |
Notebook + Tablet |
| 9 |
Traveling Rep + quick search |
Notebook + Smartphone |
| 10 |
Roam Photographer's portfolio |
Convertible / Tablet PC / Large Tablet |
|
Sam: 1x Server + 3x Desktop + 2x
notebook + 2x Tablet + 3x Smartphone
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|
|
Niches
desktop vs
notebook
Chromebook vs
netbook
tablet vs
notebook
tablet PC vs
tablet
Surface Pro vs
Surface (RT)
Android vs
RT vs
iPad
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| Pros & Cons |
|
Addendum: November 8, 2012
| |
iPad |
Android |
Surface RT |
Surface Pro |
Convertible |
Notebook |
| Cost |
$550~$900 |
$80~$550 |
$500~$950 |
$900~$1200 |
$900~$1500 |
$400~$950 |
| Screen Size |
10" |
7~10" |
10" |
10.6" 1080p |
10~13" |
12~15" |
| Weight |
1.5 lbs |
11oz~1.4lbs |
1.5 lbs |
2.0 lbs |
3~5 lbs |
4.5~6.5 lbs |
| Power Consumption |
10~15W |
5~15W |
24W |
42W |
60~90W |
65~100W |
| CPU family |
ARM:
Cortex, nVidia Tegra
|
Intel
Atom/i3/i5/i7
|
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Market Snapshot: April 25, 2013
- W8x64 Samsung i5
12" 4G 128G $1100
- W8x86 Samsung
Atom 12" 2G 64G $550
- W8x86 Acer Atom
10" 2G 64G $500
- W8RT Asus Tegra3
10" 2G 64G $450~$700
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Windows RT: can
only get it via Windows RT PC.
Includes Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT
optimized for touchscreen and automatically updates so you always have
the latest version. Runs only apps from
Windows Store + built-in apps: Mail, People, Messaging,
Photos, Skydrive, Music, and Video.
|
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Market Snapshot: March 30, 2014
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| ASUS K200MA |
HP ProBook 650
G1 |
Acer Travelmate P645 |
Microsoft Surface |
- Celeron
N2815
- 4GB DDR3
- 500GB HDD
- 32GB cloud 3 years
- 11.6" touch
1366x768
- Windows 8.1 x64
- $330
|
- Core i5 4200M
- 4 GB RAM
- 500 GB HDD
- DVD
SuperMulti
- 15.6" 1366x768
- Win 8 Pro
x64
- $835
|
- Core i5 4200U
- 8 GB
DDR3
- 256 GB SSD
- 14" 1920x1080
- Win 8 Pro
x64
- $1160
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- Surface RT refurb $199
- Surface RT $299~$329
- Surface 2 $449~$679
- Surface Pro 2
$899~$1,799
|
| |
store
apps only |
desktop/store apps |
| Gen |
Windows
RT 8.1 |
Windows
8.1 Pro |
| 1 |
Surface RT |
Surface Pro |
| 2 |
Surface 2 |
Surface 2 Pro |
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Microsoft
Surface Market Landscape Revised Aug 1, 2014
SEE ALSO:
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